A man swung a baseball bat at a couple’s car in a “momentary loss of temper”, a court heard.

Carl Perry hurled abuse at a fellow driver, before following him, threatening him then swinging at his car with the weapon baseball bat.

The man’s wife, who was also in the car at the time, was left fearing for their safety and she had additional security installed at their home, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Perry first confronted the man near the Happy Valley Chinese takeaway in Norton, accusing him of failing to indicate when necessary.

Prosecuting, Emma Atkinson said they both drove off but the victim then realised he was being followed along Norton Road by Perry who “tailgated him, overtook him and slammed on the brakes”.

He pulled into a car park and was blocked in by Perry who got out of the car and started swearing, she said.

The driver’s wife told police she heard a threat from Perry “to find out where they lived and burn the house down”. He then pulled a baseball bat out of the boot of his Subura Impreza before swinging for their car.

Carl Perry

There was no damage caused to the vehicle. But the court heard the incident, which was captured on CCTV, left the woman fearing for their safety.

“She has been left feeling very frightened in case she sees him on the street or he find out where they live and they have had increased security installed at their home,” said Ms Atkinson.

Perry, 36, admitted two counts of having an offensive weapon in a public place. The court heard he had 47 convictions, including an assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and battery, but no recent offences.

Defending him in court, Duncan McReddie said the April 14 offence, which occurred at about 7.45pm, came as a result of “a momentary loss of temper in relation to poor driving” and added the baseball bat was a polystyrene-type child’s toy.

Perry had also claimed the other driver had been “extremely aggressive” during the confrontation, he said.

But Judge Tony Briggs said: “On the face of it, he could have just driven away”.

He said such incidents must actively discouraged by the courts and gave Perry a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years. Perry, of Alma Street, Stockton, was also ordered to carry out an 18-month programme requirement.